Little Catechism on Spiritual Motherhood of Priests

In a document
from the Congregation for the Clergy in Rome, addressed to all the bishops of
the Church on 8 December, 2007, we read:

"The
vocation to be a spiritual mother for priests is largely unknown, scarcely
understood and, consequently, rarely lived, notwithstanding its fundamental
importance. It is a vocation that is frequently hidden, invisible to the naked
eye, but meant to transmit spiritual life."

A Little Catechism on Spiritual Motherhood for
Priests

1. Who can become a spiritual mother to priests?

Any
mature Catholic woman, already fully engaged in the sacramental life of the
Church, can discern a call to the spiritual motherhood of priests. This
spiritual motherhood can be lived in any state of life; it is open to single
women, married women, mothers of families, widows, grandmothers, and religious
in both the active and enclosed forms of consecrated life. None of its
obligations bind under pain of sin. The vocation to the spiritual motherhood of
priests is also compatible with the spirituality and obligations of Benedictine
Oblates and of those who belong to one or another of the Third Orders:
Franciscan, Dominican, Carmelite, Servite, etc.

2. What is spiritual maternity?

Spiritual
maternity is a particular grace of the Holy Spirit by which a woman surrenders
herself, body and soul, to the fruitful love of Christ, for the sake of His
Bride the Church and for the glory of the Father, so that, through her
offering, the particular priest entrusted to her, and all priests, may be
purified, healed, and sanctified.

3. How does a woman express the grace of spiritual
maternity.

A woman
expresses the grace of spiritual maternity by imitating the hidden life of the
Blessed Virgin Mary who, in the mystery of the Annunciation, consented to the
enfleshment of the Word in her womb, and was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit,
so that through her, Christ, Priest and Victim, might enter the world, save it
by His Sacrifice, and offer it back to the Father.

4. How does a woman live out this imitation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary?

A woman
lives out this imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary by embracing the Will of
God in joy and in sorrow, health and infirmity, prosperity and want,
companionship and solitude, light and obscurity. In a word, she sees in every
event of life an opportunity to enter, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, into the
sacrifice of Christ the Priest.

In this
way, a woman can participate in the spiritual fecundity of the Mother of the
Redeemer who, by her constant intercession, cares for the gift of life that
ever flows from the open Heart of her Son, and cooperates with a mother's love
in the birth and upbringing of Christ's faithful, her children.

5. How is spiritual maternity related to the
Priesthood?

Spiritual
maternity in favor of priests derives from the special relationship of the
Blessed Virgin Mary with Saint John, that Jesus Himself established when, from
the altar of the Cross, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold, thy
son!" (Jn 19:26). "Then He said to the disciple, 'Behold, thy
mother!'" (Jn 19:27).

While
John -- representing all priests past, present, and to come -- had the power to
change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ in the unbloody renewal
of His Sacrifice, Our Lady was charged with supporting all her priest-sons down
through the ages by standing at their side, even as she stood by the Cross of
her Son on Calvary. There, with her Immaculate Heart pierced by a sword of
sorrow, she co-offered in silence the Sacrifice of her Son, Priest and Victim,
and through Him, with Him, and in Him, offered herself to the Father.

6. What does this imply for a woman called to
spiritual maternity in favor of priests?

For a
woman called to spiritual maternity in favor of priests, this implies a
readiness to stand by all priests and, in particular, for the priest entrusted
to her, in a ceaseless offering of adoration, thanksgiving, reparation, and
supplication. The Diocese of Tulsa is preparing a prayer book to help the
spiritual mothers of priests fulfill this role.

7. What characterizes the adoration of a spiritual
mother of priests?

In her
adoration, a spiritual mother of priests looks to the Blessed Virgin Mary who,
on August 21, 1879 at Knock in County Mayo, Ireland, manifested herself in
reference to the immolated Lamb, the altar, and the Cross. The spiritual mother
of priests draws near to Christ, the Eternal Priest and to the altar of His
Cross so often as she participates in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. She
adores the Lamb of God present on the altar during the Holy Sacrifice; she
adores Him hidden in the tabernacle and exposed to her gaze in the monstrance.
She offers herself in adoration for the sanctification of all priests, desiring
with Our Lady, to see them become, in their liturgical service and in all of
life, "true adorers, who shall adore the Father in spirit and in
truth" (Jn 4:23).

8. What characterizes the thanksgiving of a
spiritual mother of priests?

The
thanksgiving of a spiritual mother of priests is, first of all, for the
Priesthood of Jesus Christ prolonged in space and in time, from the rising of
the sun to its setting, by means of the gift and mystery bestowed on the
apostles in the Cenacle, and perpetuated in the Church so often as a bishop, a
successor of the Apostles, lays hands on a man and pronounces over him the
solemn prayer of sacerdotal consecration.

The
thanksgiving of a spiritual mother of priests is, also, for the sacramental
ministrations and fruits of the priesthood: first of all, for the Most Holy
Eucharist, the source and summit of all Christian life; then for the preaching
of the Word of God, the forgiveness of sins, the healing of the sick,
deliverance from evil, comfort in affliction, and shepherding along the path
that leads to holiness.

9. What characterizes the reparation of a spiritual
mother of priests?

The
reparation of a spiritual mother of priests seeks to console the Heart of Jesus
who grieves over the coldness, offenses, and betrayals of His priests, and
waits for them to return to Him, for He is merciful.

The
spiritual mother prays for priests who fail to pray; adores the Most Blessed
Sacrament for those who do not adore; listens to the Word of God for priests who
neglect it; and seeks the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary for those who
have forgotten that she is their Mother and Advocate. She offers herself for
the spiritual restoration and resurrection of priests who have fallen into
patterns of sin; for the deliverance of priests oppressed by the powers of
darkness; and for the healing of souls scandalized, alienated, or wounded by
the sins of priests.

10. What characterizes the supplication of a
spiritual mother of priests?

The
supplication (or intercession) of a spiritual mother of priests draws its
inspiration, first of all, from the Priestly Prayer that Our Lord Jesus Christ
offered in the Cenacle on the night before He suffered: "Father . . . keep
them clear of what is evil. They do not belong to the world, as I too, do not
belong to the world; keep them holy, then, through the truth; it is Thy word
that is truth" (Jn 17: 16-17). In their intercession for priests,
spiritual mothers will also take to heart the words of the Apostle Paul:
"Nothing must make you anxious; in every need make your requests known to
God, praying and beseeching Him, and giving Him thanks as well" (Phil
4:5); and in another place, "And now, brothers and sisters, let us have
your prayers, that the word of the Lord may run its course triumphantly with us
. . . and that we may preserved from malicious interference" (2 Thess
3:1-2).

11. Are there any obstacles to spiritual motherhood
for priests?

The
obstacles to spiritual maternity are the same ones that would impede any growth
in holiness: willful attachment to sin, the refusal to forgive another,
hardness of heart, pride, and the other "root" or capital sins. The
most effective means of overcoming the obstacles to holiness are frequent
confession and Holy Communion; full, conscious and zealous participation in the
liturgy of the Church; devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary (especially the
Rosary); meditation of the Word of God; adoration of the Most Blessed
Sacrament; acts of penitence and mortification; and obedience to a spiritual
father.

12. How does a woman go about becoming a spiritual
mother to priests?

A woman
who desires to become a spiritual mother to priests should ask her parish
priest for the name of the priest charged by the bishop with promoting
spiritual motherhood at the diocesan level. She should communicate with him
and, after a suitable time of discernment and preparation, can make an act of
dedication to spiritual mother on behalf of priests. (SMOP - OTTAWA -- Although this is one way of becoming a spiritual mother, the concept of our apostolate is different. If you have any questions, please contact us and we will be happy to explain our concept further).

This "Little Catechism on
Spiritual Motherhood for Priests" was prepared by Father Kirby, for the
Diocese of Tulsa.

His Excellency, Bishop Edward J.
Slattery of the Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma had given Father Kirby a special
mandate to live in adoration before the Eucharistic Face of Jesus, offering
thanksgiving, intercession, and reparation for all his brothers in Holy Orders.
Father was available to the priests and deacons of the Diocese for spiritual and
sacramental support in their pursuit of holiness. He was also charged with the
spiritual formation of women who desire to dedicate themselves to spiritual
motherhood in favour of priests. Father Kirby may be found on the web, at:
http://vultus.stblogs.org/ (The Face of Christ)

We humbly thank Dom Mark, for
allowing us to publish this very important work. We hope and pray, that priests
and seminarians from every diocese, are given a spiritual mother of their own.
Please pray a Hail Mary for Dom Mark Kirby and priests everywhere.

+
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee!
Blessed art though among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Queen of the Clergy........pray for them!

About Dom Mark--- living in Ireland as of the end of February 2012.

Dom Mark Daniel Kirby is Prior of Silverstream Priory, under the patronage of
Our Lady of the Cenacle, in Stamullen, County Meath, Ireland.

The ecclesial mandate of the Benedictine
community is to intercede for the sanctification of priests by
"persevering with one mind in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus"
(Acts 1.14)
and in adoration and reparation before the Eucharistic Face of Christ. http://vultus.stblogs.org/